“We look for teamwork and communication”

With offices in Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, digital agency Degordian has seen a big expansion on the last five years, reaching 146 employees distributed in its three branches.

The agency focuses on turning original ideas into digital work which can be innovative and measurable, carrying out thought-provoking projects.

But it’s not only about satisfying clients but also its employees. The agency is considered one of the best places to work at and that’s largely because of the work done by its Human Resources department, headed by Ana Ćuro Rukavina, who started as a Social Media Management intern and ended up being the HR head.

In an interview with TIA, Rukavina highlights the importance of following Degordian’s core values and applying them on a daily basis. She describes the key questions for a work interview and the daily work at the office, which includes a ping-pong table and a library.

Could you briefly describe your career path up to date and what drove you to Degordian?

Degordian is my first full time employment. Before working here, I gained experience by working at a non-profit student’s association. I started at Degordian as a Social Media Management intern and then became its Human Resources Manager, developing a business plan for the area. I gained a lot of experience by working here and grew alongside the company, which went from having 26 employees when I started to more than 100 currently.

How do you know if a person has what it takes to fit the culture of the agency?

One of the things that Degordian values are five core values that we developed in 2014. If he or she fits the values, he fits here. Togetherness and teamwork, passion, positivity and playfulness, achievement and expertise and personal and professional development. We always ask what’s the latest thing you read about the area you are applying. We look for people who like to learn.

What skills and experiences would make an ideal candidate?

We need a cultural fit. Some of the skills we look for are teamwork and communication. They have to be interested on working in a team and be able to communicate and express opinions. We also look for organizational skills, depending on the entry level, and self-management. Stress-management is also important.

What are some of the essential/strategic questions on a job interview?

The basic and most important questions are why do they want to do that job and why do they want to work here. These are crucial questions to test their motivation. We want to hear that they are familiar with the company and the job post and that they desire is to be here for specific reasons.

We also ask them to describe the last time they worked in a team and what do they consider important to be happy at work. We try to see whether the candidate’s expectations and ours can be met.

Tell us about the team at the office and their features

We recently moved to a bigger office with an open working space. We have a room that we call the library where people can go and read, a ping-pong table and a small gym. The average age of employees is 28, with a very casual dress code. There’s a mix of careers in the office.

How would you describe your company culture?

Everything revolves around our values and we try to make decisions based on them. Our company culture is very playful with a lot of laughing. We are very curious people. The culture from management towards the employees is that they should question and challenge everything. It’s all very informal.

How is that culture maintained and cultivated?

We do different activities. Each department has weekly meetings and we have an informal Facebook group where we post materials and articles we come across online, to encourage professional development. We also do different office events through the year to foster teamwork and togetherness.

What is the communication style within your team? Do you use any apps or tools?

Besides Facebook groups, we use Google mail, share documents on Drive and use different tools to check productivity such as Teamwork. We also developed tools of our own to track productivity of the employees.

What do you like doing in your free time?

Things most people like such as reading and learning. I fit Degordian because of that. I also like being in nature and take walks. I try to frequently try different cuisines and Zagreb can be great for that. Spending time with family is always nice.

Tell us one thing you love the most about your role and what you don’t like

Every job has its ups and downs. I really like that I can create a wonderful working environment with my team. Degordian is seen as a very good employer in Croatia and I get to be a part of that. What I don’t love are the requirements coming from management that are described as urgent and many times they aren’t.